Method and apparatus for recycling selvage warp yarns

ABSTRACT

A method of recycling selvage yarns in a weaving operation involves providing selvage warp yarns which are continuous. The selvage is slit after passing through the loom from the main fabric warp yarns.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a method of recycling selvage warp yarns in afabric weaving operation and an apparatus for carrying out the method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heretofore, the selvage warp yarns that bind the fill yarns during theweaving operation were slit from the fabric warp yarns and discarded.

DE 3025744 discloses an apparatus wherein the selvage warp yarns arespaced from the main warp yarns forming the fabric. The continuousselvage warp yarns are spliced from the main fabric body after weaving,the cut warp yarns are removed, and the selvage warp yarns are returnedto the weaving machine.

This invention is also directed to a method and apparatus for reducingwaste by recycling the warp yarns of the selvage. The selvage warp yarnsare guided in a continuous pattern through the loom, returned through aspreader means to discard the cut fill fringe yarns and recombined to gothrough the loom again.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the practice of the invention, there is provided amethod of recycling selvage warp yarns in a weaving operation comprisedof:

a. providing a plurality of selvage warp yarns which form a continuousloop through the loom;

b. feeding the selvage warp yarns next to an outer fabric warp yarn;

c. weaving fill yarns through all of the warp yarns;

d. slitting the fill yarns between the outer fabric warp yarn and theinner selvage warp yarn;

e. passing the selvage warp yarns through a separator to allow the cutfill yarn fringe ends to dislodge from the selvage warp yarns; and

f. recombining the selvage warp yarns to feed through the loom again

wherein the method is characterized by:

after slitting the fill yarns between the outer fabric warp yarn and theinner selvage warp yarn, passing the cut fill yarns fringe ends and theselvage warp yarns through a shaker bar to shake the cut fill fringeyarns from the continuous selvage warp yarns.

There is also provided an apparatus for recycling the selvage warp yarnsin a weaving operation comprising:

a. means for guiding a plurality of continuous selvage warp yarns into aloom;

b. a loom to weave the warp yarns with fill yarns into a fabric;

c. a slitter means for slitting the fill yarns between an innermostselvage warp yarn and an outermost main fabric warp yarn;

the apparatus being characterized by:

d. guide rollers to direct the cut selvage portion through a horn guide;

e. a shaker bar to shake the cut fill fringe yarns from the continuousselvage warp yarns; and

f. a spreader bar having spaced guides for each continuous selvage warpyarn to aid in dislodging the fill fringe yarn.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of the weaving operation of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the weaving operation of theinvention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the splitting operation of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A fabric weaving system is shown generally at 10 where the main fabricwarp yarns 12 are fed from creels 13 (FIG. 2) along with the continuousselvage warp yarns 14 to the compression stand 16 into the loom 18through guide rollers 20 under a dancer roll 22 which reciprocatesvertically as shown by the double headed arrow to adjust the tension onthe warp yarns.

The warp yarns next pass through drop wires 24 which detect if any ofthe warp yarns are broken to halt the weaving operation. Then the warpyarns pass through the heddles 26 which raise and lower adjacent warpyarns or groups thereof to form the shed 25 wherethrough the fill yarns27 are passed to form the weave.

The reed 28 is a comb-like device that separates the warp yarns and alsobeats each succeeding fill yarn against that already woven. The thuswoven fabric then passes past the slitter means 30 which slits the fillyarns 27 between the innermost continuous selvage yarn 14 and theoutermost main fabric warn yarn 12. It is preferred that in weaving, aspace of from 3 to 9 mm be left between the aforementioned yarns.

The selvage is then separated over guide roller 33 from the main fabricwhere the main fabric is wound on wind-up roll 32 and the selvage isguided on roll 34 beneath the loom through horn guide 36 and ontospreader bar 41 which has spaced guides 42 which separate the continuousselvage warp yarns 14 to allow the fill fringe yarns 40 to be dischargedfrom the continuous selvage warp yarns 14 with the help of shaker bar 38which is attached to the dancer roll 22 with its up and down motion.

The continuous selvage warp yarns are then converged over rollers 44 topass through the loom again.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown forthe purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to thoseskilled in this art that various changes and modifications may be madetherein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of recycling selvage warp yarns in afabric weaving operation comprised of: a. providing a plurality ofselvage warp yarns (14) which form a continuous loop through the loom(18); b. feeding the selvage warp yarns (14) next to an outer fabricwarp yarn (12); c. weaving fill yarns (27) through all of the warp yarns(12, 14); d. slitting the fill yarns (27) between the outer fabric warpyarn (12) and the inner selvage warp yarn (14); e. passing the selvagewarp yarns (14) through a separator (41) to allow the cut fill yarnfringe ends (40) to dislodge from the selvage warp yarns (14); and f.recombing the selvage warp yarns (14) to feed through the loom (18)again; wherein the method is characterized by: after slitting the fillyarns (27) between the outer fabric warp yarn (12) and the inner selvagewarp yarn (14), passing the cut fill yarns fringe ends (40) and theselvage warp yarns (14) through a shaker bar (38) to shake the cut fillfringe yarns (40) from the continuous selvage warp yarns (14).
 2. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the outermost fabric warp yarn (14) is spacedfrom the innermost continuous selvage warp yarn (12) by 3 to 9 mm.
 3. Anapparatus for recycling the selvage warp yarns (14) in a weavingoperation comprising: a. means (44) for guiding a plurality ofcontinuous selvage warp yarns (14) into a loom (18); b. a loom (18) toweave the warp yarns (14) with fill yarns (27) into a fabric; c. aslitter means (30) for slitting the fill yarns (27) between an innermostselvage warp yarn (14) and an outermost main fabric warp yarn (12); theapparatus being characterized by: d. guide rollers (33, 34) to directthe cut selvage portion through a horn guide (36); e. a shaker bar (38)to shake the cut fill fringe yarns (40) from the continuous selvage warpyarns (14); and f. a spreader bar (41) having spaced guides (42) foreach continuous selvage warp yarn (14) to aid in dislodging the fillfringe yarn (40).